Water ski



May 1, 1962 R. S. KLEIN WATER SKI Filed Sept. 29, 1959 INVENTOR ROBERT S. Kzsm ATTORNEY ite This invention relates generally to sports equipment and more particularly to water skis.

In recent years, the popularity of water skiing has been steadily increasing. However, among the problems presented by water skis presently available is that they are relatively difficult to put on in the water and hard to find if the skier falls.

Conventional water skis are made of a buoyant material such as a wood, rubber, fibre-glass or the like. The buoyancy of a ski is such that when dropped in the water, the ski will float fiat on top of the water. 'hen a skier starts skiing, and if two skits are used, he must first put the skis on by pushing them underwater and placing his feet in the foot harnesses. This is often diflicult to do, and if the skier lets a ski go after it is submerged it will immediately rise to the surface of the water. Further, if one ski is on and submerged and the other ski is off and floating, it requires some maneuvering to get the second ski in position to insert a foot in the harness. When a single ski is used, putting the ski on in the water is less of a problem than when two skis are used. Nevertheless, it is difficult to get the ski in proper submerged position to put on.

Moreover, when a skier falls, it often happens that he finds himself considerably removed from his ski or skis. Since a conventionai ski floats flat on top of the water, a skier who has fallen in the water sometimes finds it diiiicult to locate a ski, particularly from his low vantage point.

One object of this invention is to provide a water ski which is easy to put on in the water.

Another object of this invention is to provide a water ski which the skier can find easily after a fall.

Another object of this invention is to provide a water ski so constructed that when the ski is floating in the water it assumes a position relative to the surface of the water which enables the skier to don the ski quickly and easily.

A further object of this invention is to provide a water ski which projects well above the surface of the water when not in use.

A still further object of this invention is to provide means whereby water skis available heretofore can be modified simply and inexpensively to accomplish the foregoing objects.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent hereinafter from the specification and from the recital in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a water ski constructed according to one embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a view showing the ski floating in water and illustrating the self-inclining position which the ski assumes.

Referring now to the drawing by numerals of reference, and first to FIGS. 1 and 2, denotes a water ski which comprises an elongate member having a forward, upturned, pointed end 11, a relatively flat, squared off rearward end 12 and a middle portion 14. The member has a top side 15 and the underside 16. The ski may be made of wood, rubber, plastic or any other desired material.

For releasably holding ski 10 on a foot of the skier, a harness 18 is provided. Such harness is conventional and comprises a toe and heel cup made of rubber or the like States Patent 0 M Patented May 1, 1962 so that if the skier falls while skiing the ski will readily drop from his foot.

The forward end 11 of the ski carries a highly buoyant element 20 which extends from the front point of the ski to a point just in front of the foot harness 18. Element 20 may be a balsa wood filler, a buoyant plastic material such as that sold under the tradename Styrofoam, or some other suitable material. The element 20 may also be a hollow air filled compartment.

Rear end 12 of the ski has a weight 21, of lead or the like, which renders the rear end of the ski non-buoyant and causes it to sink when the ski is placed in the water. The overall weight distribution of the ski is such that the ski assumes the self-inclining position shown in FIG. 3 when floating free in the water. The rear end 12 is submerged and the forward end 11 floats with its point projecting upwardly and high out of the water. The upward incline of the ski places the foot harness 18 in just the right position relative to the surface of the water, denoted S, so that a skier can quickly and easily put the ski on.

Further, the normal position of the ski as caused by element 20 and weight 21 is ideal for an easy skiing start.

There is little danger of nosing over at the beginning of a skiing run.

When the boat towing the skier starts up, the forward movement of the ski and the counteraction of the underside 16 with the water causes the ski to assume a normal skiing relation to the surface S. If the skier falls or intentionally drops the tow rope to stop skiing, he has no problem locating his ski or skis because of the way they will stick up when floating free. Preferably, element 20 and forward end 11 are brightly painted to contrast with the water so that the ski is easily spotted.

Element 20 and weight 21 are intended to be added to skis presently available. For new production, the weight variation as recited above can be built right into the skis by making the forward ends light and highly buoyant and the rear ends dense and non-buoyant whereby the skis will extend as shown in FIG. 3 when placed in the water.

While this invention has been described according to a specific embodiment thereof, it will be understood that it is capable of further modification, and this application is intended to cover any variations, uses or adaptations of the invention following, in general, the principles of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains, and as fall within the scope of the invention or the limits of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A self-inclining water ski comprising an elongate member having a forward end and a rear end, a foot harness connected to said member between said ends, said forward end being buoyant and said rear end being nonbuoyant and of such weight that when the ski is placed in the water the rear end sinks below the water surface to incline the ski at a substantial angle relative to the surface of the water, a substantial portion of the ski being submerged.

2. A self-inclining water ski comprising an elongate member having a forward end and a rear end, a foot harness connected to said member between said ends, means on said forward end giving such end substantial buoyancy, and weight means on said rear end to sink such end when the ski is placed in the water, said weight means being such relative to the buoyant forward end that the ski floats with the rear end and said foot harness submerged and assumes an inclined position at a substantial angle relative to the surface of the water.

3. A self-inclining water ski comprising an elongate member having a forward end and a rear end, a foot harness connected to said member between said ends, a material of substantial buoyancy forming part, at least, of said forward end, a denser, non-buoyant material forming part at least of said rear end whereby when said ski is placed in the water said rear end and said foot harness sinks below the water surface and said front end floats and the ski assumes an inclined position at a substantial angle relative to the water surface, the buoyancy of said forward end being such that a substantial portion thereof projects above the surface of the water when the ski is floating free.

4. A self-inclining water ski comprising an elongate member having a forward end and a rear end, a foot harness connected to said member between said ends, a material of substantial buoyancy forming part, at least, of said forward end, a denser, non-buoyant material forming part at least of said rear end whereby when said ski is placed in the water said rear end and said foot harness sinks below the water surface and said front end floats and the ski assumes an inclined position at a substantial angle relative to the water surface, the buoyancy of said forward end being such that a substantial portion thereof projects above the surface of the water when the ski is floating free, and means applied to said forward end whereby the ski will be easily noticed when floating in the water.

5. A self-inclining water ski comprising an elongate member having an upturned forward end, a generally flat rear end, a middle portion, a topside and an underside, a foot harness connected to said topside and on said middle portion, an element of substantial buoyancy connected to said forward end on said topside and extending from the upturned portion of the forward end to adjacent said middle portion, and a weight applied to said rear end to sink such end and said foot harness below the water surface when the ski is placed in the water and left to float free, the relative buoyancy of said forward end and the weight of said rear end being such that the ski assumes an inclined position at a substantial angle relative to the surface of the Water.

6. A self-inclining water ski as recited in claim 1 and wherein said buoyant forward end comprises a hollow air filled compartment.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 684,868 Robison Oct. 22, 1901 838,986 Hannan Dec. 18, 1906 1,104,441 Nelsen July 21, 1914 1,918,508 Wheeler July 18, 1933 1,993,974 McVicker Mar. 12, 1935 2,366,261 Hitt Jan. 2, 1945 2,470,137 Brown May 17, 1949 2,656,814 Kiekhaefer Oct. 27, 1953 2,716,246 Biliingham Aug. 30, 1955 2,856,616 Dodge Get. 21, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 800,650 France May 4, 1936 515,386 Canada Aug. 9, 1955 1,126,789 France July 30, 1956 

